Canon Digital Slr Battery
Basic kit for a beginner with Canon 40D?

I just purchased the following: Canon EOS 40D Digital SLR Camera (incl. EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Kit) by SanDisk 4GB Extreme III CompactFlash Memory Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Objective Now I have limited budget too far left to go, but wondered if there are other essential elements need to get started. For example, can anyone recommend a suitable bag / box? I guess the camera has a battery – I'll be rather disappointed if not. It is a tripod flash gun or essential? I am new to DSLR cameras, my previous camera is a compact Olympus C7070 Wide Zoom. Thanks Paul

Hello Paul. First, buy a Haze / UV filter for both lenses. You will need a 67 mm filter diameter for 17-85mm zoom and a 52mm filter diameter for 50mm lens. You want a filter to protect the lens front element of air pollution and dirt / fingerprints. While buying the filters, lens cleaning cloth and buy a brush for goals. The brush is to remove loose dirt that used to come into a tube like a lipstick tube. The lens cloth will remove any stains. If its a stubborn one, just breathe in the filter. If your budget allows, buy a 67mm slim circular polarizer assembly and a 52mm to 67mm "step-up ring. This will will use the polarizer on both lenses. The polarizer will darken a blue sky and clouds to really "pop." It also eliminates the reflections / glare of glass, water, snow, sand and painted metal – but not polished metal. Always buy quality filters – Heliopan, B + W, Singh-Ray, Hoya, Tiffen. Learning to use all features and settings available on your camera will take some quality time with very READ AND STUDY user manual for the camera. Its best to learn a function / Adjustment at a time and practice using it until you understand completely. You may want to consider purchasing the "Magic Lantern" instructional DVD for Canon 40D. It is available at Circuit City and Amazon and many others, probably shops. You may want to add these books to your personal library: "Hands-On Digital Photography" George Schaub "How Digital Photography Works, Second Edition" by Ron White Buy a camera bag is largely based on personal preferences. Now you do not really need a large order to verify what is offered in Wal-Mart or Target or Circuit City, etc and always keep your camera is safely in your bag or hanging securely around his neck. If the strap that comes with it does not feel comfortable, you can purchase a wide range of nice Canon logo on it on eBay. Visit the library and read the photo magazines they have. If one really appeals to you, subscribe to it. My personal favorite is Shutterbug. IMO anyone interested in photography will benefit from reading photography magazines. Not only the review teams, but also "how to" articles to help improve their skills. If you decide to shop on-line for the filters, here are some trusted sites: http://www.adorama.com http://www.bhphotovideo.com http://www.keh.com http://www.uniquephoto.com http:/http://www.abesofmaine.com / www.beachcamera.com If your budget allows, look at Manfrotto tripod, Velbon, Slik. Make sure that "fits" you – a tripod that extends only 50 inches will not be of much use if you are 6 feet tall. Never recommend extending the center column more than an inch or two. Strongly time, it becomes unstable and defeats the purpose. When buying a tripod, which will choose a head (what the camera is mounted on reality.) There are two types: the tilt / pan head and head the ball. If you plan on a lot of nature and photography stage a tilt / pan head works well. For sports and action photography a spherical head would be a better option. come with head "liberation" of the plate quickly so you can quickly take the camera from the tripod if needed. Editorial Edwin O: I always tell people not to fall into what I call the gunner "machine" approach to photography *. This is the person who takes 300 exhibitions and 10% expected to be worth keeping. This is often accompanied by "Oh, I can fix it in Photoshop" attitude. Do you really want to sit on your computer through the selection of 300 photos with the hope of finding 30 worth saving? Or sitting there with an editing program and trying to make a mediocre image into a normal image? I prefer the "sniper" approach to photography – an exhibition, a good picture. Of course the best sniper is lost occasionally. This is also called "Get it directly into the camera," and requires thinking about the image you want to do and know how. "The image is not taken. They do." Ansel Adams. Learn to look at a scene from various viewpoints. Permanent. Sitting. lying on his stomach. Move right and then left. Learn to pay attention to the background. A tree or pole of growth of the subject's head or a power line across it, contributes little to the image. In general, a slight change in position or a slightly different angle eliminate such distractions. Good luck and welcome to the, frustrating fascinating world of art photography. * Someone here once said that if they took 1,000 images and got a good were happy. IMO would best results if you gave the camera to a chimpanzee.